Supporting conservationists' mental health through better working conditions

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Occupational Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Biodiversity conservation is vital but demanding, impacting conservationists' mental health.
• Limited understanding exists regarding mental health patterns and workplace factors among conservation professionals.
• Improving working conditions can enhance job satisfaction, productivity, and engagement, while reducing turnover and absenteeism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patterns of psychological distress among conservation professionals.
• To identify workplace protective and risk factors associated with mental health in the conservation sector.
• To inform interventions for improving conservationists' mental well-being and job performance.

Main Methods:

• An internet survey was administered to 2311 conservation professionals across 122 countries.
• The survey collected data on psychological distress, working conditions, and personal characteristics.
• Participants were recruited through professional mailing lists and social media platforms.

Main Results:

• Heavy workload, job demands, and organizational instability correlated with higher psychological distress.
• Job stability and satisfaction with contributions to conservation were associated with lower distress.
• Factors such as low optimism, poor physical health, limited social support, being female, and early career stage increased distress risk.

Conclusions:

• Workplace factors like workload and job stability significantly influence conservationists' mental health.
• Targeted interventions addressing identified risk factors can promote better working conditions and mental well-being.
• Further research is needed to include underrepresented groups in conservation research.